A society tending towards individualism, causes and consequences

In a world where individualism often takes precedence, the issue of social bonds and solidarity remains relevant.

Nowadays, some observers worry about a loss of social bonds and social cohesion in Western post-industrial societies, as seems to be revealed by a number of indicators:

• Mass unemployment which has affected the most disadvantaged for about thirty years, which may explain why a fraction of the population in rich countries remains poor and the emergence of exclusion phenomena (homeless, marginalized).
• Decline in union membership, the rise in election abstention, the decrease in patriotic sentiment and community withdrawal are all signs of a lack of civic spirit, a loss of commitment to the collective and to society.
• The increase in inequalities, particularly inequality of opportunity in academic success, unequal access to stable employment, to decent housing reveal a social fabric that is tearing apart.
• The recent rise in social conflicts over wealth distribution, student movements, urban riots show that social groups have difficulty living together.
• The growth of divorces, the rise of racism and anti-Semitism, the increase in delinquency, the existence of social, spatial, ethno-racial discrimination also seem to indicate that the social bond between individuals is loosening.

Social cohesion and the development of individualism

Social cohesion corresponds, according to Emile Durkheim, to a situation in which " members of a society maintain social bonds, share the same values and have the feeling of belonging to the same community ".
There seems to be today a serious crisis of integration and social regulation. Society struggles to stand firm as it is subjected to social change.

Does the development of individualism risk undermining social relationships and, therefore, society? It is indeed observed that individuals lack social bonds.
How to remedy such a situation? And if individualism challenges the social bond, could it be possible that the societal crisis recreates it?
For there to be social cohesion, it is not enough for individuals to have relationships with each other. They must also share common values and norms. We all know social norms; they govern our rules of life in society, so let us rather talk about our values because they are the foundation of collective ideals and it is they who constitute the morality giving individuals the means to judge their actions and to build a personal ethic.